


Stranded

by TheWorldIsYou13



Series: A Very Take That Christmas [2]
Category: Take That (Band)
Genre: Christmas, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2015-12-26
Packaged: 2018-05-09 13:56:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5542454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWorldIsYou13/pseuds/TheWorldIsYou13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The last thing anyone wants is to be stranded thousands of miles away from home.<br/>But when a snow storm hits New York on the day before Christmas Eve, Gary finds himself having his flight back home cancelled and finds himself with a long and stressful journey home</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stranded

This is the last thing I need. To be stuck here, in a bloody airport, waiting on the off-chance that my flight might suddenly become un-cancelled so I can get back home for Christmas.

Why I had been stupid enough to do something like this this close to Christmas is beyond me. 'Don't worry,' they said 'you'll be home by Christmas'; 'yes', I said 'alright, I'm in.'

Take it from me: do not agree to do promotional work in a different country with a planned flight home the day before Christmas Eve, because you never know what might happen.

And what has happened is that it started to snow. And by 'snow', I mean a full-on blizzard snow storm which has meant that there is snow covering the whole of New York. All flights in and out have been cancelled and the weather forecast has predicted that the weather isn't going to ease off for at least another eight hours. EIGHT HOURS; it's December 23rd and I'm on the other side of the Atlantic with no way home.

I sit on one of many seats in the waiting area of the airport, staring out of the window. Had I not been stuck here, the snow would be the most amazing addition to the holidays. Christmas Day, out with the kids in the snow – what a way to spend the day. But, by the looks of things, that's not going to happen, because the chances of me getting home by the 25th are becoming slimmer with every passing minute.

Sighing, I pull my mobile out of my pocket and stare down at the screen. Not surprisingly, I don't have any signal. All I want to do is call Dawn and let her know what's happened and that, by the way things are going, I'm not going to be home for Christmas unless my flight is suddenly back on in the next couple of hours.

I keep staring at my phone before looking around the airport wondering if there is anywhere in the airport that does have signal. From what I can see, everyone seems to be doing the same as me.

I sigh again: I just want to go home now. I am never doing anything like this again at this time of year. I think of everyone at home, thinking that I'm going to be back in a few hours. They've probably seen the news and so probably know the situation I'm in. I told them what time my flight would be, so I'm sure Dawn's worked out that I'm one of the people stranded in the airport waiting for the snow to stop so the flights can start up again.

I think about everyone else, at home with their families. I envy them for a moment: Mark and Robbie would be with their wives and children, looking forward to the big day as much as their little ones; Jason will be with his family over the festive period and Howard will be with Katie and their soon-to-be born baby. I then think about Howard and the fact that I know he's going to want to be going to Germany at some point to see his daughter over there. I just hope that the weather in Europe isn't as bad as it is over here. I don't think it's snowing in England, but I'm sure there must be snow somewhere in Europe. But then again, how would I know? I'm stuck here, in America, with no contact to anyone back home.

It's starting to get late now, so I decide that I might as well try and get some sleep. There's no point in being awake if all I'm going to do is sit here and stare at the same snow storm for hours on end; no, it'll be much better if I slept through the waiting.

I don't know what woke me up, but I look around and see that almost there are a large number of people picking up their stuff and heading towards the gate. It's then I hear an announcement over the noise of tired and frustrated passengers. Sounds like the snow storm has settled down – flights are back on! The announcer reels of a list of flights that are scheduled to take off within the next half an hour. I listen closely, but at no point do I hear my flight number called. My heart sinks. For a moment then I thought I would be about to get on board an aeroplane and start my journey home; making it in time for Christmas. Unfortunately, here I still am.

I check my phone again, but there's still no signal. They had said the storm was settling down, but clearly that isn't enough for the mobile networks to kick in again. I just want to let people know where I am, so they don't worry. I sigh and straighten myself up in my seat. It's uncomfortable now, but what am I to do? I'd go for a wander, but they've just called out a load of flights that are getting ready to depart, so the last thing I want to do is to miss the announcement of mine and risk missing the flight altogether.

And so I wait.

And wait

And wait

And wait.

I feel myself just about to nod off again when I hear another announcement. I'm half asleep, so barely listen and it's not until I see people who I know are heading towards the same destination as me, pick up their stuff and head towards the gate, that I realise my flight has been called.

Rushing, I pick up everything that I'm about to take on the plan with me and half run towards the gate. I rummage through my pockets trying to find my boarding pass. For a moment, I panic – what if I've dropped it somewhere? Thankfully, I find it in the inside pocket of my jacket and let out the breath I didn't actually realise I was holding, before making my way to the back of the queue of people waiting to get on this plane.

I've always hated flying, but in this moment right now, I've never been happier to see a plane in all my life.

Making my way to my seat, I sit down and let out a huge sigh. I check my mobile again and find that there is still no signal, but then again, I didn't really expect there to be any. In seven hours or so, I'll be back in England and should (hopefully) be able to call my family and let them know that I have finally made it back home and that I'm sorry for not being able to call earlier. I'm sure, given the circumstances, they'll forgive me just this once.

Twenty minutes later, we're given the safety announcements and not long after that I finally feel the plane start to move along the runway. Once we're up in the air, I feel my eyelids start to drop and I let myself slowly go to sleep knowing that, if I'm asleep long enough, when I awake we'll either be coming up to landing or not far from coming up to landing.

...

I wake up as I feel the plane shake. Shit, what was that? I think to myself as I jolt awake. I swear to God if anything happens to this plane...

"It's alright, mate, we were just turning." The guy next to me says, his General American accent making me feel as though I'm still in New York for a moment there.

"Oh, thank goodness for that." I say with relief.

"Trying to get home for Christmas, I take it." The man says.

"Yeah, never doing promotional stuff again in the run-up before Christmas. I don't even know what made me do it in the first place."

"You managed to get hold of your family?"

"No, I've not had signal since the snow hit New York. I'm going to call them as soon as I get into the airport."

"I'm sure they've seen the news – I assume it would have broadcast on there. I never know with British TV. I'm only over here to see some of my family for a few days before heading back home."

"I think it would have been broadcasted." I say.

Just then, the pilot's voice sounds throughout the length of the plane telling us to make sure that we are belted in and that we are preparing to land any minute. I make sure my belt is done up even know I know I've not taken it off for the duration of the entire journey.

A few minutes later, I can feel the plane start to descend. My ears pop, but I couldn't care less; I'm home and right now, that's all that matters to me. I'm on British soil and I'm only a few hours away from my family.

I check my watch, it's almost nine pm. I won't get home much before midnight, but at least I'll be home when the kids wake up, I suppose. It's not ideal, but given what's happened over the last day, I couldn't be happier.

Eventually, the plane comes to a stop and everyone starts to make their way off the plane and into the airport.

As soon as I've got my luggage from the belt, I find a space where there aren't too many people rushing around and pull out my mobile. Thankfully, I have signal and immediately call Dawn's mobile, praying that she's somewhere near it and picks up.

Two rings is all it takes for me to hear her voice on the other end of the line:

"Gary, where the hell are you? Why haven't you called? We heard about the weather in America, please tell me you're on your way home."

"Dawn, I'm fine, I've just landed. I tried to ring before but the snow had cut off the mobile signals. How are you and the kids?"

"We're fine, but the kids have been asking where you are."

"I'm on my way home now: a couple more hours and I'll be home."

"Never go out and do promotional work near Christmas again."

"Believe me, I have no intention of doing so. But hey, I told you I'd be home for Christmas." I tell her. After all, I am a man of my word.

"Only just." Dawn pauses for a moment. "Just get yourself home, yeah?"

"I'm on my way. Be home at around midnight. Love you."

"Love you, too."

With that, Dawn hangs up and I make my way over to where the taxis are parked, going into the nearest one and telling the driver where I'm heading.

As promised, I arrive home at midnight. Christmas Day. I'm so tired, but glad to be back.

I walk up the drive, saying thank you to the driver after passing him some money for the journey. I tell him that he can keep the change – after all, it is Christmas.

My suitcase drags behind me and as I reach to get my keys out of my pocket, something lands on my face. I look up and see that there are a few flakes of snow starting to fall from the sky. I shake my head, I've had more than enough of snow for one year, I think to myself as I unlock the door.

As I open the door, the first thing I see is Dawn coming down the hall way and wrapping her arms around me as I enter the threshold.

"Thank God you're back." She says.

"Happy to be back."

"Come on let's get you inside. I'll make you a cup of tea."

"Any chance of a red wine? I could do with one after all I've been through." Dawn smiles at me and goes into the fridge to bring out the bottle of red wine that's in there before going to the cupboard and pulling out two glasses, pouring a generous amount in each one.

I take off my coat and put it in the closet before heading back to the kitchen to see Dawn staring out of the window, with her glass of wine in her hand.

"Hey look, it's just started to snow. The kids have always wanted to see a white Christmas." She smiles as me as I pick up my glass and join her by the window.

"Believe you me, the last thing I want to see right now is snow. Yeah it's pretty to look at, but when you're trying to get home to be with your family at Christmas it's a bloody nightmare." I say.

"Well you got home and that's all the matters." Dawn then presses a kiss to my lips and I kiss her back gently before she pulls away with a smile on her face. "Merry Christmas, Gary."

"Merry Christmas, Dawn."

The two of them then tap their glasses together before turning back out to the window and stare at the snow as it falls to the ground, forming the foundations of white blanket that will have covered the grass by sunrise.

It had been a difficult journey home, but Gary couldn't be happier to be stood here, by the window, with his wife on Christmas morning, watching as the snow fell.

Merry Christmas x


End file.
